Persistence
by love-peace-hugs
Summary: Her eyes opened and they stared at the night sky for a moment. Then they landed on Hayato. "I don't like you, Archer Boy." "And I don't like you, Ninja Girl."


_Crunch._

Her ear twitched and her mouth twisted into a frown. "I found this place first, Archer Boy. _Get_."

Hayato raised an eyebrow at the figure sitting under the tree. Miyuki's eyes were closed, but she was definitely not asleep.

"What makes you think this is your place, Ninja Girl?" he asked, folding his arms in front of him.

One midnight-black eye opened and glared at him. It closed again. "Go away if you know what's good for you."

He laughed, shaking his head. "I can be persistent."

"Yes, you are being persistent and you are _annoying me_. You do not want to know what I'm like when I'm _annoyed_."

"I've heard enough stories to get a rough picture," he replied, shrugging casually.

Finally, her eyes opened and they stared at the night sky for a moment. Then they landed on Hayato. "I don't like you, Archer Boy."

"And I don't like you, Ninja Girl."

Miyuki groaned in frustration. Her head tossed back and it leaned against the tree she was sitting under. "I don't want to hurt you because Jack will go ballistic. But if you keep pushing it, I will-"

He sneezed.

"I'm sorry, what did you want to say?"

"I was going to say, if you keep pushing it, I will-"

He sneezed again. Twice.

"Archer Boy, you're catching a cold," she implied, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Really? I didn't notice."

She rolled her eyes and leapt onto her feet. "I'm taking you inside."

"And _why_ do you need to _take_ me inside?" he asked incredulously.

"You were the one who said that you could be persistent."

_True,_ Hayato thought. "Fine, but I'm going on my own."

"Nuh-uh, you aren't. I'm done with moonlighting over here." Miyuki tapped her chin in what seemed like a thinking pose. "And you wouldn't leave this poor, helpless young lady out in the cold, alone, wouldn't you?"

"I would," he said simply, turning around.

She laughed and followed him. He stared straight ahead, not bothering to check if she was trailing him or not. The ninja should be able to take care of herself, even if she got lost.

It was a lovely night. The moon wasn't full, but it still shone brightly. There weren't many stars in the sky, but it still looked beautiful from where he was standing. Pieces of ice that reflected light from the moon looked almost identical to the stars above. The windows on the small huts of the village were all dark. Everyone was asleep; it was only the archer boy and the ninja girl outside.

Yes, it definitely is a beautiful night, Hayato thought. But it would be much better it he didn't have to see _her_. He didn't know what made him hate – no, he didn't hate, he _strongly disliked_ – the Ninja Girl so much. He was actually fine with her for about a split second when they first met, but then she had to show off that attitude of hers against samurai. Something inside them just _snapped_, and they seemed to become instant enemies. Maybe not exactly _enemies_, but they just didn't like each other… with a burning passion.

"You're the first person I've ever met who refused to help a lost-looking, pretty maiden out in the snow," Miyuki said, suddenly by Hayato's side, almost making him jump. _Almost_.

Hayato smirked. "I would, actually. But you're not her."

"So you're saying I'm not pretty?"

He glanced at her. Her pitch-black eyes that had a mischievous gleam in them, her pale, porcelain-like skin, her silky black hair that cascaded down her shoulders, her perfectly-shaped pinkish lips, her fringe that covered those eyes ever so slightly…

"You're not," he stated, eyes going back to their original position straight ahead.

She frowned as they arrived at the front porch of the house they stayed in. "You're lying."

"No I am not." He opened the door and went inside while she followed closely behind him.

"I'm a ninja. I think I would know when and when you're not you're lying."

"And you know that I'm _not_ lying," Hayato said, glaring at her. "You're _not_ pretty."

Suddenly, Miyuki's eyebrows lifted and she smiled. "Actually, you're not lying."

Hayato was about to give her a comeback but she spoke first.

"You think I'm _gorgeous._"

That made Hayato stop in his tracks. "_Excuse me_?"

She shrugged. "You heard me."

His mouth was almost dangling open and his eyes were filled with alert, though it wasn't obvious. But the ninja managed to catch it before it disappeared. "I do not."

"Oh, really?" She walked in front of him and turned around so her eyes met his dark brown ones. Her feet took slow paces toward him, almost making him back up.

_Almost._

"You do not?" she echoed him.

Hayato gulped ever so slightly, but of course, _the damn ninja caught it. _"I don't."

Miyuki smirked as their bodies were only about a foot apart. Her index finger went to his throat and traced up his neck, landing on his chin. "Then you won't mind if I do this."

It was quick. Her lips pressed onto his and he almost gasped. _Almost. _They only lingered there for a few seconds. But then she pulled away and her smirk was once again plastered onto her face.

"I just remembered," she said, her face barely inches away from his. "You have a cold. Gross."

Her body turned and she made her way to her room. "Goodnight, Archer Boy."

She left him there, his mouth imitating the actions of a fish.

When Hayato went into his own room, he couldn't take off the loopy grin on his face. Why was he smiling? He was supposed to be _furious._ He very strongly disliked her, and people who strongly dislike each other do _not_ smile when the other kisses them. Well, sure, it doesn't happen every day and most likely hasn't happened before, but in the case of it happening _they shouldn't be happy. _It only made sense. And there he was, still grinning like a fool.

He pressed his lips together as he lay onto his futon. _Just go to sleep._

As his head hit the hard pillow, his mouth twisted into another smaller smile.

"Goodnight, Ninja Girl."

***coughawkwardcough***

**I know this probably sounds like a weird pairing but I LOVE THESE TWO SO MUCH. I literally cried when Hayato died because all my hopes of them being together were CRUSHED. I felt like murdering Chris Bradford but I didn't. Instead I threw stuff around my room going WHINE WHINE WHIIIIINE. Ahem. So, anyway, I was thinking of entering this for the poster competition thingie on Young Samurai's facebook page, but… I don't know if I will. Meh. I will. Probably. Maybe. OH WHO CARES.**

**~I don't ship Jack and Miyuki by the way because I just don't~**

**-Nisa- ( ^_^)**


End file.
